HGV Driver Shortages

[JamesWales]

What a mess.

Is recruiting from Europe the answer.?

Nope. Thousands of EU HGV workers have the right to work here anyway, so if they aren't its clearly not going to change. There is also a substantial driver shortage in Europe - what makes us think they will come here?

The British economy is realigning following Brexit. There will be good changes and bad but some disruption is inevitable.

The answer ultimately is to raise wages for British workers. Opening up our economy to an almost endless supply of workers, most of whom have far lower wages expectations than us has relatively damaged working class wages. It hasn't done so at the top, who benefit from it incidentally (probably why very generally speaking, wealthier people generally voted remain, whilst poorer people generally voted leave)

We are hopefully coming to the end of a pandemic and are in the midst of a realigning economy. We need to hold our nerve and get through it.

Practical steps I would suggest: More use of smaller delivery vans where possible, fast-track HGV driver training, campaigns to get retirees back for 1-2 years, have army on standby.

For me it's critical we stand with the workers on this one.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

The British economy is realigning following Brexit. There will be good changes and bad but some disruption is inevitable.

I thought Brexit was going to make everything better straight away? How long are these disruptions going to last? Rees-Mogg reckoned some as long as 50 years....

[JamesWales]

I thought Brexit was going to make everything better straight away? How long are these disruptions going to last? Rees-Mogg reckoned some as long as 50 years....

No you didn't. Any economic changes take a long time to come through.

[Feedback]

No you didn't. Any economic changes take a long time to come through.

yet here we are seeing economic disruption and impact almost immediately.

[the other bob wilson]

Nope. Thousands of EU HGV workers have the right to work here anyway, so if they aren't its clearly not going to change. There is also a substantial driver shortage in Europe - what makes us think they will come here?

The British economy is realigning following Brexit. There will be good changes and bad but some disruption is inevitable.

The answer ultimately is to raise wages for British workers. Opening up our economy to an almost endless supply of workers, most of whom have far lower wages expectations than us has relatively damaged working class wages. It hasn't done so at the top, who benefit from it incidentally (probably why very generally speaking, wealthier people generally voted remain, whilst poorer people generally voted leave)

We are hopefully coming to the end of a pandemic and are in the midst of a realigning economy. We need to hold our nerve and get through it.

Practical steps I would suggest: More use of smaller delivery vans where possible, fast-track HGV driver training, campaigns to get retirees back for 1-2 years, have army on standby.

For me it's critical we stand with the workers on this one.

But I thought we were going to have our cake and eat it along with the ready made deal we had?